US-IRAN HOSTAGE SWAP

2.  Key Points

• Iran agreed to release the five Iranian Americans in exchange for around $6-$7 billion frozen in South Korea because of sanctions on the country.
• The frozen funds will be transferred to a restricted account in Qatar, where they will be used for humanitarian purposes, such as medicine and food.
• The U.S. has said that the deal does not involve any relief from sanctions on Iran.

3. A Timeline of US-Iran Relations

3.1. Overthrow of Mossadeq

• In 1953, The US and British intelligence agencies orchestrate a coup to topple Iran's democratically elected Prime Minister, Mohammad Mossadeq.
• Mossadeq's push for nationalizing Iran's oil industry clashes with American capitalist interests.

3.2. Iranian Revolution

• The US-supported Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlevi, flees the country in 1979 following widespread demonstrations and opposition.
• Ayatollah Khomeini returned from exile, and Iran declared an Islamic Republic in April 1979.

3.3. US Embassy Hostage Crisis

• Protesters seize the US embassy in Tehran in November 1979, resulting in 444 days of captivity for American hostages.
• The remaining hostages are released on the day of President Ronald Reagan's inauguration in January 1981.

3.4. Nuclear Concerns and Imposed Sanctions

• In 2002, revelations by an Iranian opposition group unveil Iran's nuclear facilities development, including uranium enrichment.
• This prompts the imposition of sanctions by the UN, US, and EU against Iran.
• President George Bush labels Iran as part of an "axis of evil" alongside Iraq and North Korea, leading to a significant depreciation of Iran's currency.

3.5. Closer Ties and the Nuclear Deal

• September 2013 witnessed Iran's moderate President Hassan Rouhani assuming office.
• In 2015, after intensive diplomatic efforts, Iran strikes a comprehensive nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with the P5+1 group - the US, UK, France, China, Russia, and Germany.
• Under the agreement, Iran commits to curtailing its sensitive nuclear activities and granting international inspectors access, while economic sanctions are lifted.

Image Source: aljazeera

The international transfer of sentenced persons is a process by which a person who has been convicted of a crime in one country is transferred to another country to serve their sentence. This can be done for several reasons, such as to allow the person to serve their sentence closer to their family and friends, or to take advantage of better prison conditions in the receiving country.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) plays an active role in facilitating the international transfer of sentenced persons. The UNODC provides technical assistance to states that are considering transferring sentenced persons, and it also maintains a database of bilateral and multilateral agreements on the transfer of sentenced persons.

The decision of whether or not to transfer a sentenced person is ultimately up to the sentencing country. However, the UNODC has developed several guidelines that countries should consider when making this decision. These guidelines include:

1. The sentenced person should consent to the transfer.
2. The receiving country should have a prison system that is capable of adequately managing the sentenced person.
3. The receiving country should have laws that are compatible with the sentenced person's human rights.
4. The transfer should not be used to circumvent the sentencing country's laws.

5. The history behind the deal

• The tentative deal between the U.S. and Iran has been in the making for months.
• In February 2023, media outlets reported that the two countries were holding indirect talks for a possible prisoner swap.
• In March 2023, Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian told the country's State television service that an agreement for a prisoner swap has been reached with the U.S., however, dismissed his comment at the time, calling it a "cruel lie".

7. The Way Forward